Rainbow Rhythm Circles

Facilitated Rhythm Circles and Drumming Workshops
presented by Leo Brooks

We aim to bring the joy of drumming and rhythm to any group of people to whom it would benefit, which is everyone! To better understand the difference between the primary programs we present (Rhythms Circles and Drumming Workshops) read on below. A more general discussion on Leo's philosophy and approach to Drum Circles, click here.

What is a Rhythm Circle?

A Rhythm Circle is a gathering of people dedicated to creating spontaneous, improvised music with a variety of percussion instruments, including (but not limited to) drums, shakers, guiros, claves and bells. Arranging the players in a circle helps promote equality and teamwork. There is no beginning or end and every voice is important. The main objective is to find their place in the rhythm; to get in tune with each other and themselves.

Rainbow Rhythm Circles are facilitated circles - The music is being created under the guidance of a facilitator (Leo Brooks). Leo’s role is to insure that everyone is included in the circle, and that their particular voice (or instrument) is heard and appreciated. Leo demonstrates playing techniques for the different instruments, and through fun exercises and examples, explores the role and potential of each instrument group. This is done in and environment that encourages creativity and personal expression while working together as a group.

What is a Drumming Workshop

A Drumming Workshop is a more structured teaching session, geared at learning more formal techniques and rhythms for hand drums and other percussion instruments. Participants will explore both traditional and contemporary rhythmic patterns. Leo uses humorous rhymes and mnemonics to help with the learning and retention of these rhythms.

Culturally specific rhythms from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil can successfully be learned by groups who schedule multiple sessions. A series of weekly Drumming Workshops can be designed to lead up to an exciting group performance or presentation, for events such as talent shows, holiday recitals and year-end assemblies.

A Discussion on Drum Circles

There is no denying that drumming is a powerful thing. Using the most basic component of music - rhythm - drums and percussion can create ribbons of sound that weave a sonic tapestry that almost always elicits an emotional response. This is what draws people to "Drum Circles". If we define drum circles generally as a formal or informal gathering of percussionists with the aim of creating music together, they exist on a spectrum, as outlined below.

Anarchist Drummer Gathering	————Facilitated Drum Circle————	Traditional Drumming Ensemble

An Anarchist Drummer Gathering uses the term anarchist in the best sense of the word. It is a community of people who create spontaneous, living music with percussion instruments of any description. There is no leader, and no followers. Sometimes the music is unified, hypnotic and powerful. Other times it is disjointed, awkward and unwieldy.

The Traditional Drumming Ensemble exists at the other end of the spectrum. Here, the rhythms are often passed down through oral traditions from one generation to the next. They are often connected to ceremony or ritual. They are played in an exact way, reproducing the same rhythms on the same kinds of instruments, every time they are played.

And somewhere in the middle lies the Facilitated Drum Circle (or Rhythm Circle). Here the goal is to play rhythms which come from the wellspring of creativity we all possess, guided by a facilitator. Acting in equal parts Conductor, Coach and Ring Leader, the Facilitator gently directs and unifies the group experience to ensure that everyone is working in harmony.

Leo has experienced and participated in drum circles all along the spectrum, and has found blissful moments in every one. But he has a special preference for Facilitated circles for the way in which they can empower everyone involved with a sense that they are really part of something great. As such he adores facilitating Drum Circles and has a large repertoire of techniques and tools to keep the music fresh and participants engaged.

Sometimes he will gladly join a pre-established community for a session as a guest facilitator, other times he works with a familiar group of players. Often he is called upon to work with people who have no experience making music together whatsoever.

One of the hardest (but most important) skills a facilitator can acquire is the capacity to quickly read a group, and make an assessment of what will serve the group the best at that moment. All good facilitators have a "bag of tricks" - games, techniques and tools they can use to engage a group. But the best facilitators never come into a situation with a pre-made plan of what they will do. Instead, they adapt their tools for the situation and population at hand.

Some of the techniques Leo commonly uses in a Rhythm Ensemble include the following:

• To get people loosened up and used to the idea of being part of a unified pulse, I ask them to stand and form a circle around me, then ask them to walk in a simple step with me, everyone together in unison. This entrains their bodies in the common beat.
• I may get people to chant or sing rhythmic patterns as they clap or step in time. This is the way they have been taught for millennia, orally from one person to the next. I verbalize the rhythm for a particular instrument then get people to say it back to me, all the while keeping up the pulse with our bodies somehow. This ends up being a very quick way of learning the rhythms we may play.
• I will usually point out the some of the "triplicities" in the rhythm circles — groupings of three elements that are separate but united. The most common triplicity is the drum voices: Low, Medium and High. These are represented in the Rainbow Rhythm Circle system by the colours red, yellow and blue, respectively. Then I will point out the percussion triplicity: Shakers, Woods, and Bells. These are represented by the colors Orange, Green and Purple respectively. Together, all the instruments create a complete sonic spectrum - A Rainbow.
• I will occasionally make a "sound bowl", a concentrated way to hear the various voices of the ensemble. Those who play the low and medium drums are seated on chairs in the main circle, those who play high drums and some percussion sit in an inner circle on the floor, while everyone else playing percussion stands in an outer circle behind. This creates an incredibly unifying force when everyone is listening
• Sometimes, if there is a particular group that can be invited to try the drums first, (i.e. all the senior citizens, all the children), we highlight them and it can often set the tone for the music which proceeds them. Different demographics can create different moods in the music.
• If we do start with a certain group playing only drums, I will layer everyone in on their respective instruments and in a few moments we are creating a rhythmic symphony. When we stop, I encourage a round of applause for everyone and request that those people who were just drumming find someone in another part of the circle and invite them to take their place with the drums.
• Mostly, I just try to make sure everyone is included, and focus my mind on the great sound around me. I absolutely adore when a great groove is happening that envelopes my self.